Fastener-attaching machine



March 18, 1924; 1

W. E. ELLlDTT FASTENER lATTACHING MACHINE Filed NOV. l1 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Marh 18 M244;

W. E. ELLJOTT FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE vl 11 r1920 s www i T N g March 18,1924; 1,486,87@

W. E. ELLIOTT FASTENER ATTACHNG MACHINE Filed NOV- 1l, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /w vf/v TU@ Y l mgm Patented Mar. l5, 1924.

I/VILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN BUTTON & FASTENER C0., OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

FASTENER-ATTACHING MACHINE.

Application filed November 11, 1920. Serial No. 423,312.

To all u1/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of 5 Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Fastener-Attaching Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a. specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

-lVIy invention relates to machines for attaching fasteners by means of securing devices, with which are associated cooperating devices designed, for example, to protect from tearing the material upon which the fasteners are mounted. In the Patent No. 1,220,829, granted to me on March 27, 1917, is disclosed work of this character, the fasteners'being attached to fabric by means of staples having their legs upset over washers, said washers distributing over considerable areas of the fabric the tearing stresses of the clinched staples. An object of this invention is t'o provide an efficient machine for effecting such attachment-s, though not, it is to be understood, necessarily limited to operation upon the particular form of protective device illustrat/ed in the previously mentioned patent.

In the attainment of this object, avfeature vofmy improved machine involves the combination with means, acting in the initial operation of said machine, for delivering to attaching mechanism fasteners and their Vsecuring devices, as buttons and staples, of means for delivering cooperating devices', or washers.4 This delivering or. feeding means is preferably arranged to grasp and hold each protective device in proximity to the attaching mechanism in alinement with a delivered securing device, so they may be assembled and the latter set in place. I have illustrated the protective devices as formed in a series, as in the above-mentioned patent, and the delivering or .feeding ineanis shown as adapted to engage simultaneously a. pluralityfof the series. By this expedient, one protective device is advanced to the attaching position, and the succeeding device moved forward in preparation for such advance upon the next operation of the machine. More specifically, there isdisolosed', co-operating with a button and staple-delivering and staplesetting means, the latter including an anvil, a washer-presenting mechanism in the form of feeding jaws movable into and out of (zo-operation with the anvil.

A further feature of the invention co-ncerns the severing of the protecting devices, when they are arranged in a strip, from the connected devices. This separation of a p-rotective device for attachment occurs, in the present embodiment of the invention, while said device is held against displaceinent by the delivery means, which may also similarly hold-the remainder of the stripready for the succeeding delivery. I have also shown, independent of the delivering means, means for holding the devices during the attaching operation by a retaining member acting upon them. 'Ihis retaining means, when employed in connection with a series, is movable between its devices; and with such devices joined to one another, as described in the Patent No. 1,220,829, this engagement serves to support the entire series. In the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention, the retention of the strip is effeced by a severing means. That is, with a strip of washers connected by reduced portions, a cutter acts upon said reduced portions, While a projection from the cutter extends between the washers to exert the retaining effect.

A particular embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l represents my improved attaching machine in top plan with the raceway and driving mechanism removed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

llig.Y 3, a similar view taken from the opposite side;

Fig. il, a detail in topV plan of the anvil and more closely associated elements;

F ig. 5, a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7, top plan views of the portions of the machine illustrated in F ig. 4, showing the parts occupying successive positions;

Fig. v8, a vertical section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 ;V

Fig. 9, a view, similar to Fig. 8, illustrating the succeeding step and includine the driving mechanism;

Figs. 1() and 11, top plan views. giving` steps ot the 'feeding and severing operations succeeding that orP Fig. 9;

F 12, a. perspective view ot the cutting' and retaining member;

1 3, a like vievv ot the feeding mechanism inverted;

Fig. 1.4, a vertical section through Work including a button attached by the present machine; and

Fig. 15, al view in perspective ol" a strip ot Washers adapted for employment in the machine.

Generally, the machine may be of the type represented in the application .filed in my naine `May 9., 19l9, 'er. 'lo. 295.825. The arrangement oi the 't famo 10, with its upstauding portion 12 Carrying the anvil 14, and the cooperating` yieldable ivorlcclampiag race- Way 16 for buttons carryingv assembled staples.l may be the saine, as may also the oscillatory driving and ulceding member 18. Of these parts it is only necessary to say that an eccentric 20, rotated by a main driving shaft 22 journaled transversely ot the frame, .is connected through an eccentric rod 24, lever 26 and connecting rod 2S to levers 30 and 32. These levers, in their oscillation produced by the rotation ot the eccentric, move the raceivay into and out of contact with the Work upon the anvil. the pressure against the Work loing yieldable by virtue of the inclusion oit' a springv .534 in the connections. rl`hey also cause projections upon the driver 18 to set in the ivorir staples S, which are threaded through the eyes of buttons B, carried in series in the raceivay, there being with this setting tion by the forward projection 3G. asimultaneous feedingf hy the projection 38 ot the succeeding staple and button in the series in preparation for the next setting opera tion.

lfn some materials, as the fabrics ot Which gaiters are made` the area presented by the clinched ends of the staple legs offers too little resistance to prevent their pulling through, and to overcome this? the button attachment. with its protective washer strip ci' Patent No. 1.220,829 was devised. To deliver these or other washers to the attaching mechanism, feeding' mechanism is mounted to move upon au. inclined surface 40 oi2 the traine portieri 12 adjacent to the anvil 14. This feeding; mechanism includes a carrier slide 42 arranged ti'or reciprocation upon the surface 4G, the under side of which slide is re'essed to receive oscillatoriT washeivholding jaws 44. ne, pivoted upon the slide at 467 46. At the extremity of the jaws is a pair oit opposed recesses 48, 48, and just to the rear of these are similar recesses 50, 50, these tivo pairs being; so located as to grasp simultaneously adjaaient washers VJ, W1 Extending laterally7 fr rn opposite sides of the slide 42, near the rear, are projections 52, 52 engaged by arms 54, 54 lined upon a shaft arranged to turn in the trarne portion 12. The shaft also has secured upon it an arm 58, joined by a connecting.,r rod to one arm of a bell-crank lcv r 62 ulcruined upon a standard 64 rising from the frame 10 near its center. Another arm of the lever 62 bears an antirietion roll co-operating with the periphery oit a cam GG fast upon the shaft 22. Suitable springs urge this and similar operating levers of the machine toward their cams. Formed opposite each other upon the rear extremities of the j aWs 44 are rounded projections G8, lying Within a recess 7() upon the upper side of an actuating slide 72 mounted to move between the surface 40 of the frame and the top Wall of the recess in the carrier slide 42. Depending from the under portion of the slide 72 is a projecting member 74, engaged by an arm 7 6 upon a shaft 7 8 journalcd in the frame. The shaft has fined to it another 80, to which is articulated a connecting rod 82` also pivote-d to a bell-crank lever 84, ul- @ruined upon the standard 64. The lever 84 carries a roll cooperating With a cam 86 Vturningl with the sha-.tt 22. The cams 66 and '86 may leave the carrier slide 42 and the actuating slide 72 stationary, as when the levers which control the slides are out ot' contact with the cam peripheries, as is shoivn in connection with the lever 62, or when the cam surfaces are concentric to the axis ot rotation. or may produce a movement of the slides when either or both of the cams depart-s from this concentric relation, in the latter case the action being difljerential. The effect ot the cams upon the slide 42 is to produce a reciprocation of the feeding jaws toivard and vfrom the anvil, and upon the slide 72, either When this is moved alone, or differentially with respect to the slide 42. is to oscillate the jaws to cause them to grasp or release the Washers lV. These Washers are introduced to the machine in strip form through an openingr 88 in the frame portion 12, passing therefrom between therjaws across a surface 90 at the top ot this portion. The action ot the jaws will he more fully developed in connection with th@ statement of operation.

lust at the rear o'l2 the anvil, movable through. a bore 92 in the trame portion l2. intersecting; the washensupporting surface 90, is a reciprocatory member 94, preferably adapted to both sever a contracted portion fw joining acent Washers W to form the strip, thus freeing a Washer which has been utilized. and to ret-ain the Washers against displacement. as when the feeding fingers are being shifted to `vere-.sp succeeding Wash ers.l Fori the first-mentioned purpose, the member 94 has at its upper end a cutting edge 96 co-operating with a die opening 98 in a plate 100 extending across and being spaced from the frame surface 90. This plate 100 also furnishes with the frame surface a guide-way holding'. the washer strip in the proper relation to the anvil. At each side of the cutting edge, to straddle the reduced portions fw of the washer strip, are projections 102, 102. These, when raised between the washers before the cutting edge contacts with a portion w, engage the upper w'asher of the strip to hold the entire series against movement downward through the opening 88. To impart reciprocati'on to the member 94, it is pivoted upon an arm 104, fast upon a shaft 106, which also has secured to it an arm 108. A connecting rod 110 joins this arm 108 to a lever 112 fulcrumed upon the Standard 64. An antifriction roll carried by an arm of this lever rests upon the periphery of a cam 114 fast upon the shaft 22. The contour of the cam is such as to first raise the member 94 with thelprojections 102`between the washers, at which time there is a period of rest to permit the exercise o-f the retaining function. Thereafter the rise of the member continues, and the cutting edge co-operating with the die opening severs the connecting portion of the strip. The member is then lowered to its initial position.

In considering the operation of the machine, it will be assumed that it' has acted, and(l as a result of this a severed washer is held in the recessess 48, 48 of the feeding jaws, while the succeeding washer of the strip, connected to its companions by the reduced portions, is held by the recesses 50, 50, the jaws at this time being at their extreme rearward position. At the beginning of the succeeding cycle, the eccentric 20 causes the gradual descent of thei'raceway 16 and driver 18. During this movement, the jaws are advanced by the cam 66 from the position shown in Fig. 6 until openings 0, 0 of the severed washer are over clinching depressions 4116 of the anvil in a position to re.- ceive the pointsi of the leading staple S in the raceway. The parts are nowias illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The member 94 at this timef reaches the point appearing in Fig. 8, and there rests temporarily with the projections 102 between the rst undetached washer and the. one below it in the strip. Immediately following this, the lowest staple carried down the raccway by the driver projection 36 is passed through the openings o of the upper previously-severed washer, and under the pressure V,ofi the driver is forced through thc fabric and clinched beneath the washer. This produces the attachment of the button B, best shown in Fig. 14. Afterthe forward wasl er has been engaged by its staple, so that -it is held against displacement, and with the remaining portion of the strip retained by the projections 102, the jaws 44 are separated by a differential movement of the carrier slide 42 and actuating slide 72, as appears in Fig. 10, and are carried downwardly to their initial position by the travel of the carrier slide. .When the aws have reached this position, theyclose upon the two succeeding washers of the strip, and the member 94 completes its upward stroke, severing the forward washer by means of the cutting edge 96. At this time the works has been released by the retreat of the driver and raceway, so that it may be shifted tot the position at which another button is to be attached. The machine is now in condition for the succeeding operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering to the attaching mechanism fasteners and their securing staples, and means acting in the initial operation of the machine for delivering tothe attaching mechanism a device for cooperation with a staple.

2. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor te the attaching mechanism, and means for delivering to the attaching mechanism a device for cooperation with a securing device, said delivering means being arranged to grasp the Vco-o'perating device in proximity to the attaching mechanism and there hold said y(3o-operating device for engagement by the securing device.

3. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, and means for feeding a series of devices for co-operaticn with the securing devices, said feeding means being arranged to engage simultaneously a plurality of the co-operating devices.

4. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices assembled therewith to the attaching mechanism, and means for grasping a protective device and advancing it to the attaching mechanism for association with the fasteners and securing devices.

5. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, and means for feeding a protective device transverselyto the `direction of delivery of the fasteners and securing devices, said feeding means being arranged to engage a protective device at opposite sides of the attaching mechanism and hold said protective device in alinement with a delivered securing device.

6. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, and means for feeding a protect-ive device transversely to the direction of delivery of the fasteners and securing devices, said feeding means lbeing arranged to hold a protective device in alinemcnt with a delivered securing device and to release said protective device after its engagement by the securing device.

7. ln a button-attaching machine, means for delivering buttons and associated staples, staple-setting means co-opei'ating with the delivering means, and washer-presenting mechanism co-operating with the delivering and setting means.

8.111 a button-attaching machine, means for delivering buttons and associated staples, staple-setting means cooperating with the delivering means, and mechanism arranged to grasp a plurality of washers and advance them successively toward the setting means.

9. ln a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver` co-operating therewith, means for supplying to the anvil and driver buttons with staples threaded through their eyes, and means for delivering washers between the anvil and driver.

10. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, means for delivering a staple with a button between the anvil and driver, and feeding jaws arranged to grasp between them an object which is to receive the staple and movable into and out of co-operation with the anvil- 11. ln a machine for attaching buttons b v means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, means for delivering a staple with a button between the anvil and drivenfeeding` jaws, a carrier` therefor, means for moving the carrier toward and from the anvil, and means for opening and closing the jaws.

12. ln a machine for attaching` buttons b v means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operatii'ig therewith, feeding jaws cooperating with the anvil, a carrier for the jaws, and differentially movable means for reciprocating and oscillating the jaws.

13. in a. machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, a frame, a guide-way termed therein to receive a strip of washers provided with 'openings for the staplelegs, an anvil adjacent to the guide-way, a driver co-operating with the anvil, means for delivering staples to the anvil and driver, and means for advancing the strip of washers through the guide-way to the anvil with legs.

14. in a machine for setting buttons by vmeans of staples, a frame having a guideway to receive a strip of washers, an anvil adjacent to the guide-way, a driver co-operating with the anvil, and feeding jaws arranged to grasp the washers at opposite edges and movable in the guide-way.

15. In a machine for attaching buttons by means ofrstaples, a frame having a guideway to receive a strip of washers, an Vanvil adjacent to the guide-way, a driver co-operating with the anvil, and feeding jaws for the washers co-operating with the anvil through the guide-way, said jaws having adjacent recesses to engage succeeding washers of the strip.

16. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for delivering to the attaching mechanism a device for co-operation with ay securing device, and movable retaining means acting upon a cooperating device to hold it against movement in the'direction of delivery.

17. ln a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for feeding a series of devices for co-operation with the securing devices, and retaining means movable between adjacent devices of the series.

18. ln a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for feeding a protective device transversely to the direction of delivery of the fasteners and securing devices, and retaining means for a protective device movable in the direction of said delivery.

19. ln a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for feeding a series of protective devices to be operated upon by the attaching mechanism, and a retaining member movable into co-operation with a device of the series succeeding 'that operated upon.

20. ln a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for delivering to the attaching mechanism a strip of yprotective devices each of which is formed for co-operation with a securing device, and means for severing the protective devices between the formed port-ions of the strip.

21. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, meansfor delivering a strip of protective devices to the attaching mechanism, and means for severing the protective devices from the strip, the delivering means being arranged to hold the severed devices.

22. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, means for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for deliverlng a strip of protective devices to the attaching mechanism, and means for severing the protective devices frcm the strip', the delivering means being arranged to hold the strip and severed device during and after the severing operation.

23. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching mechanism, ieans for delivering fasteners and securing devices therefor to the attaching mechanism, means for delivering a strip of protective devices to the attaching mechanism, and means for engaging the strip to retain it against displacement in the direction of delivery and thereafter severing a protective device from said strip.

24. In a button-attaching machine, means for delivering buttons and associated staples, staple-setting means co-operating with the `delivering means, mechanism co-operating with the delivering and setting means to present thereto washers formed l.in a strip, and means for severing the washers from the strip.

25. In a button-attaching machine, means for delivering buttons and associated staples, staple-setting means co-operating with the delivering means, mechanism co-operating with the delivering and setting means4 to present thereto washers formed in a strip, and means for severing the washers from the strip, said severing means being provided with a strip-retaining portion.

26. In a button-attaching machine, means for delivering buttons and associated staples,

staple-setting means co-operating with the delivering means, mechanism nio-operating with the delivering and setting means to present thereto washers formed in a strip consisting of successive washers connected by reduced portions, and a cutter acting upon a reduced portion of the strip and having a projection extending between the washers.

27. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, means for delivering washers arranged in a strip between the anvil and driver, and a cutter movable adjacent to the anvil to sever a. washer from the strip.

28. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, feeding jaws movable into and out of co-operation with the anvil, and a reciprocatory cutter operating adjacent to the anvil. Y

29. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, feeding jaws movable into and out of co-operation with the anvil, and a reciprocatory cutter operating adjacent to the anvil, there being washer-engging projections adjacent to the cutting e ge.

30. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, feeding jaws co-operating with the anvil, means for opening and closing the jaws, and a cutter having a portion arranged to hold the strip while the jaws are open and movable to sever said strip when the jaws are closed.

3l. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, an anvil, a staple driver co-operating therewith, feeding jaws, a carrier therefor, means for moving the carrier toward and from the anvil, and a cutter having a portion arranged to hold the strip while the jaws are moving from the anvil and to thereafter sever saidV strip.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT. 

